A R U M

Hi …

Welcome to this chill post. I’ve been at home for the longest time so why not I share something that I currently enjoy … at home …

My current favorite is this, that my mom gave me a couple of weeks ago, is dark chocolate flavored almond milk. For your information, I don’t like milk that came from a cow because I don’t like the taste, the smell, and it makes me kind of nausea after drinking it. But I’m fine with yogurt, cheese, or any milk produce, just don’t the raw milk itself. And I don’t like the flavored one too. 

I tried almond milk before and turns out, I really like it. So, I told my mom that I liked it, so she bought me this because she’s afraid I don’t have enough protein or calcium from not drinking cow’s milk. It tastes really good just the came with little crumbles from not processed subtle (?) enough. But I really like it. 

Everybody usually have their own favorite spot at home, right? I do have one. A little nook at the end of our guest room’s bed. It facing right into our carport and street so the view is … not amazing, but good enough to chill. 

It is small and cramped, but I really like because I can just sit there, holding my dark chocolate almond milk, watching the rain or read children book, with blanket over my shoulders. 

See? Really chill. 

Almost forgot … and Ghibli’s music in the background?

That is extra chill. 

When I feel vulnerable, I usually just sit through and seek for inspiration then I feel okay afterwards. Small comfort for a good mental health. 

Do you have one?

Hi ...

When you are a child do you ever have things that you wanted to buy but you never get it?

Or ...

Do you have things that you own but not anymore, but suddenly you want to own it again?

Last time I talked about things you wanted to buy but never get it and finally I fulfil my wish, right? Now it’s the second sentences. Things that I own but not anymore, but suddenly I want to own it again. 

It started in pandemic. Pandemic really stops time isn’t it? I always have a feeling that we still live in 2020, but it's already two years ago. I started two new addictions this pandemic. One, is playing games and two, watching people playing games, as known as gaming streamer. 

I, myself, enjoy playing games before. So, it’s not because of pandemic, I started playing games. But, I’m not a gamer either. I just enjoyed it as something to kill time. Also, watching people play games is a different experience. As my new hobby is watching people play games, these streamers also influence me to buy the game they’re playing, because it looks fun, and easy, and can be played offline. So, I downloaded Steam. 

Pandemic also recall many buried memories to surface as these childhood craving. There’s plenty of games that I played as a child. A list of games that you probably played it too. But, to be honest, I never played from play station or Nintendo, so my childhood games are around PC games.

Something just pop, when I browse into Steam’s games lists. 

Roller Coaster Tycoon. 

I played this game a lot when I was a child. Along with The Sims. And this game, as today is so cheap too. You know what I do after that. 

I bought right away. I’m an excited child again after 20 years. 

But the nostalgia didn’t end there. I bought another childhood game, which is Hotel Giant 2!

Never in my mind to cross this game anymore. I just remember that I used to play a hotel game before, but I really don’t know the name. For now, I forgot how to play these games. I depend on my muscle memory to play it as it really ancient. I am really glad I found these games at this age. So, if I have child someday, we can play it together. 

As the Sims that I mentioned before. It is one of my childhood games, too, but have the Sims 4 that I got for free from EA when they have ‘download for free’ week, couple years ago, so it’s not really craving anymore. Although I missed the sims 2 a lot. 

To think about it. I played a lot of simulation games, specifically building and managing places. Is that why I become an architect? Well, I didn’t really do architecture anymore (still designing for fun only) though.

What’s your childhood craving anyway? If I have another that I found, I’m going to post it soon, or I’m going to make list of it to see if I can fulfil it. Bye~

Hi …

Continuing from my Saturday gate away last week. We didn’t just end up going home after three hours of sightseeing. We went to a famous mosque up in Puncak, At-Taawun Mosque which is the last time I went there, it was 20 years ago. Yes, I know I’m a vintage person now, but huh …

in my time, the mosque is famous because there’s a child singer who filmed a music video there. As you know at 90’s, child artists are big hit, so I eventually knew it. In my mind, the mosque is really big and luxurious, but when I get there … it’s just regular mosque …? I don’t know is it because we have many more luxurious and new mosques or is it only me, but really, it’s not what I have in mind. 

But, it’s not what I’m going to talk about. Is about the drive to that mosque which quite an adventure. 

As you my know, technology now growing very rapid. As a person in twenties living in big city, I have to always up to date what technology brings to my city. Like payment. Indonesia these days really advancing their payment methods so people like me, who is sometimes a mess with coins, can pay anything with only cards or QR code. I’m used to only carry IDR 100.000 cash in my wallet for emergency, everywhere and it never be a problem. Like, you know, card exist, phone exist, internet exist. It’s easy, convenient, and I will not have any problem with small changes. 

It does a problem when I went to Puncak. 

I lived in Bandung for almost the rest of my life before I moved to Jakarta. Both of the city I live in are big cities. They will not have a problem with technologies as technology itself grow there. 

But Puncak is another story. It’s a small city. No … Puncak is a connection area. 20 years ago, Puncak is the connection between Jakarta and Bandung that took 5 hours drive to go both cities. 

As someone who grow up in big city, I have this thinking that people or area are always growing with technology. So, went there, thinking Puncak will be the same as our city, and we almost have a problem with that.

We have to buy gas for our car on the way the mosque, right? We went with that until they declined my husband’s friend card because there’s no debit machine available there like gas station usually have. I only have like IDR 50.000 in my wallet and with everyone addition, it covers up the expenses. 

For your information, I brought like, IDR 250.000-ish for this trip, but I bought McDonald on the way, I should have known it so I will not pay McDonald with cash, I paid for lunch that only accept cash, and I bought something inside the recreation area. Thinking that there’ll be any ATM on the way, or something. But, it’s, of course, not. 

The one more problem we encounter that day is the mosque parking fee. We don’t have cash anymore, I have like … coins, which I don’t know how much I have, and again thinking that it’ll no more than IDR 5.000. 

It was IDR 20.000 …

We have to scratch our wallet and pay with coins.

So, yeah, that’s the story how different area is different experience. Big city habit may not suitable yet to smaller area. I have to carry more cash everywhere I go to some new town to avoid any of these events happen again. 

Bye~

Hi …

At the very last weekend of June 2022, my husband’s friend and his wife, invited us to a one-day trip to Cimory Dairyland. I’ve never been there before as I’m not an outside person (half shut in), but for once-a-month trip, why not, right?

We started our drive from my house because it’s closer and the night before both of them stay the night at out house to minimize the time of our drive. We planned before, to wake up at 3 in the morning, went out from my house at 4, so we can catch up the sunrise at 5 in Puncak. But then we just ended up wake up at 5. So, no sunrise for us. 

We started late, but the drive was fun and we arrived at 7.30-ish at the place after having McDonald for breakfast on road. No traffic, no something unusual, just a good morning drive. This is the first time after 10 years I went to Puncak for holiday so I surprised Puncak isn’t really changing since the last time I went here. So, yeah …

Cimory Dairyland has three sections of experience and the price are varied. We just went to two, the main area and the one called De Windmills. For two experiences, we only paid 65.000 IDR for each person and get one Cimory yogurt and two discount vouchers for ice cream and ice lemon tea. 

The concept for this recreation area is like … Holland farm? Wait, for you don’t know, Cimory is a milk and yogurt brand, so for them to use farm theme is kind of on point. I use Holland is because the place kind of inspired from Keukenhof Tulip Fields, but instead of tulips, they went along with bright and colourful windmills. 

They have a lot of farm animals such as cow, sheep, chicken. And then they also have the not-so farm animals like camel, ostrich, and snakes. 

I like the donkey, sheep, and otter the most. Donkey because they’re small, cute, and when I’m there, they’re seems itchy, so they’re rub their head to the gate and it makes them even cuter. We had sheep feeding session with carrot that we purchased (it was 10.000 IDR for a cup) and it was fun. Otters are smart, aren’t they? I love them. 

We only spent three hours there. The place is actually quite small so, as we all are adult, we can walk fast through everything. Apart from sightseeing animals, they have riding a horse and ATV experiences, too. We didn’t do any of that because we only care about petting animals. 

They have souvenir corner at the exit way. Not only they sell their milk and yogurt, they have their own cake and pie as well. I bought only the cookie and cream pie to try which is I don’t really like … sorry … and I’m not interested buying their cake. If you ever happen to go there, please try it and tell me how’s it like?

Before I leave, my advice, do not use white shoes and white pants. 

Bye~